Links
Choose one of the categories above for a list of plant-related websites. Selected websites are all non-commercial, without advertisements, and free-access sites. The links provided have all been checked as of March 1, 2018; however, websites are occasionally moved or deleted without notice by the authors or sponsoring agency. If you do encounter a link that no longer works or a website that has changed location, please report the problematic link to the NOPD so that we can update the link.
Wildflowers
This list includes general collections of images (representing all plant families) and those wildflower websites that will be of most use to students in northern Ontario. Several of these links are from different provinces or states, but are listed here because they include many species that also occur in northern Ontario. Links to many other useful images may be found under the specific Province and State, or plant type, to which they apply.
Andy's Northern Ontario Wildflowers
This personal website, and a labour of love, by northern Ontario retired geologist Andy Fyon, is one of the best resources on northeastern Ontario. This extensive website includes information of the wildflower species of various habitats, as well as information on ferns, mosses & lichens, and fungi.
Astereae Lab
This extremely useful website by John C. Semple, Waterloo University, includes links to the asters, goldenrods, and goldenasters of North America. In these webpages, Dr. Semple clearly details the new generic divisions of the former Aster and Solidago genera, which are presented in the 3 Asteraceae volumes (19-21) of the Flora of North America. Ontario botanists will want to purchase his two indispensable references, Cultivated and native asters of Ontario and The Goldenrods of Ontario from the University of Waterloo Biology Series.
British Wildflowers
This outstanding website, compiled by John Somerville, features excellent digital images from many photographers of over 1600 species found in Britain and Ireland. Images are arranged according to common name, but the scientific name appears with the images. This website also includes links to British Trees and Shrubs, Grasses, Sedges, Rushes, and Ferns, and Brambles (Rubus species). Many of our introduced species will be included in this website.
Colin's Virtual Herbarium
A very useful collection of clear digital images of 441 native plant species by Colin Ladyka, of Regina, SK. Numerous excellent closeups are included, and some images are labelled with key traits, which is certainly an aid to people learning to identify our native plant species.
Delaware Wildflowers
A beautiful website of stunning wildflower photographs by David G. Smith; well organized, easy to navigate.
Digital Flora of Newfoundland & Labrador
Newfoundland's flora includes many arctic-alpine species found also in the northernmost parts of Ontario. Since most websites on Ontario wildflowers focus on the mixedwood or deciduous forest flora, this site is particularly useful for botanists and First Nations people in the northern parts of Ontario. This website was developed by John Maunder, Curator Emeritus of Natural History, Provincial Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
A co-operative website with family treatments written by many different botanists. The combined treatment includes species from all plant groups families in the Arctic, such as Pteridophytes, Caryophyllaceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, Ranunculaceae, and Salicaceae. Each species page includes synonymy, morphological descriptions, ecological information, nomenclatural notes, Arctic distribution maps, and links to images. Invaluable for understanding the morphological variations of species with arctic and more southern populations.
Flora of Eastern Washington and Adjacent Idaho
This excellent collection of fabulous images by brothers, Dr. Robert Carr and Dr. Gerald Carr, will certainly make you want to visit Washington State and surrounding areas to see these beautiful flowers in person.
FloralImages of the UK and Northern Europe
This comprehensive website on native wildflowers and garden plants of the British Isles and northwest Europe by John Crellin, features some of the very best photographs on the net. You can access the images from this attractive multi-page Index of thumbnails, organized by scientific name, or choose any number of galleries from the home page. So much to explore!
Flowering Plant Gateway
A very useful collection of vascular plant images organized by family, compiled by Hugh Wilson, of the Bioinformatics Group, Texas A&M University. Access the images from this alphabetical Family List, or select one of the 4 classification systems.
Friends of the Wild Flower Garden
Formerly known as "Friends of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden", this fabulous website features some of the best webpages on wildflowers of the north-central US, most of which are also found in Canada. Access the wildflower webpages from the Photo Gallery link. Excellent descriptive information and several clear images of each species are featured on each page. If you live in the Minneapolis area, you will definitely want to visit these gardens.
Galleria Carnivora
For unsurpassed information on everything carnivorous, see this world-renowned website of superb images, by Barry Rice, on native and non-native carnivorous plants. A must-see for botanists and photographers alike. Click on each of the 3 Floor Exhibits (on the homepage) to visit the various groups or access by genus. Students young and old will appreciate his "cheap sleazy" animations of how each trap works. Finally, if you have questions, see The Carnivorous Plant FAQ.
Gallery of Connecticut Wildflowers
A truly delightful website on eastern North American wildflowers from the Connecticut Botanical Society, showcasing the photography of Eleanor Saulys and Janet Novak (and others).
Herbier photo 66 - Pyrénées Orientales
A beautiful website, in French, by Josette Argaud that features images of wildflower from the western Pyrenees of France. Click on Recherches to access the species webpages, each of which includes a brief description with field and/or scanned images of each species.
Illinois Wildflowers
A series of excellent websites by John Hilty, including Prairie Wildflowers, Savanna and Thicket Wildflowers, Wetland Wildflowers, Woodland Wildflowers, Weedy Wildflowers, Grasses, Sedges, and Non-Flowering Plants. Each webpage includes excellent images and very good descriptive information. A great site for botany students to bookmark.
Images of Apiaceae
An interesting website by Kristin Linoski, Texas A&M Univ., of images of plants, leaves, inflorescences, and schizocarps of species in the carrot family (Apiaceae) from Texas; including some, but not all of the species occurring in northern Ontario.
Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses
A beautiful website on Kansas flowering and non-flowering plants that provides access to images and species descriptions, organized by scientific name, colour, or common name. The following main plant groups are included in the website:
Michigan Wildflowers
A very useful website with excellent digital images of Michigan wildflowers by Charles and Diane Pierce, which will greatly assist in field identification. Many of the species featured in this website are also found in northern Ontario.
Minnesota Wildflowers
This fabulous website on the flora of Minnesota features images by Katy Chayka and Peter M. Dziuk (some of the best on the web!), along with good descriptions and distribution maps for each species. A very useful website for botanists working in the north. This site organizes species according to several categories: wildflowers, trees, shrubs, vines, ferns and fern allies, graminoids, invasive species, and rare species of Minnesota. An extremely useful site for identification of northern species.
Missouriplants.com
This website provides spectacular digital images by Dan Tenaglia, including images of features that are key to the correct identification of these wildflower and pteridophyte species. All serious botany students should bookmark this website.
Native Orchids of Ontario
A comprehensive website, compiled by the Orchid Society of the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Hamilton, ON. Images from the Donald Gunn's Image Collection at RBG, are presented at the bottom of each webpage, after the descriptions.
NatureGate – Flowers (of Finland)
One of my favourite websites! While the native flora of Finland is quite different from that of Ontario, there are a number of European species, introduced to Ontario, that can be found in this excellent website. Several excellent images and clear descriptions are available for each species.
Online Virtual Flora of Wisconsin
In the search dialogue box of homepage, type in a scientific or common name to access a brief description, plant images, and images of herbarium sheets for each Wisconsin species. You can also select species from this list of Wisconsin plant families.
Oregon Flora Image Project
Another fabulous website, featuring numerous images of plants from Oregon State, by brothers, Dr. Gerald Carr and Dr. Robert Carr. Without a doubt, the best plant photographs available on the web! This website is a companion to the Oregon Flora Project of Oregon State University.
Oregon Flora Project
The Oregon Flora Project, developed by Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, includes the latest Oregon checklist, a guide to rare plants of Oregon, and an atlas to Oregon plants.
Photo Gallery of Wildlife Pictures - Plants
This gallery of wildflower photographs by Josef Hlasek offers superb images, usually many of each species. The galleries are arranged according to family name and plant type, which makes it easy to find species. Click on the links at the top of the website to view his other fine galleries, including butterflies and other insects, mushrooms, birds, and other animals.
Plants of the Northeastern United States
This website by Michael Hough features his terrific photographs of the native flora of New York State and the surrounding states. Access the webpages from this alphabetical species list or by flower colour. Note that each webpage contains several images, which can be viewed by clicking the Forward or Back links.
Saskatchewan Native Plants - Wildflowers
One of the best additions to the expanding list of websites on Canadian wildflowers. This wonderful website, from Maureen and Glen Lee of Regina, SK, includes webpages on prairie, forest, and wetland species, nearly all of which also occur in northern Ontario. Select from collections of specific groups, such as:
Southern Appalachian Wildflowers
A great collection of absolutely stunning wildflower images by Rich Stevenson. Once you see his pictures of Oconee bells and yellow fringed orchid, you'll want to see them all!
Trillium and the Trillium Family
An excellent website by Susan Farmer on the genus Trillium, which features research and images on this genus and the genus Paris, both better placed in the family Trilliaceae than in the Melanthiaceae.
Tropicos Images
A newly updated searchable database of flowering plant and bryophyte nomenclature, specimens, and images from the Missouri Botanical Garden. The link above allows the viewer to search for plant images by family or scientific name. An indispensable website for botany students.
Wildflowers of Commanster, Belgium
A website with excellent habit and closeup images of Belgian wildflowers (mainly eudicots), part of the Ecology of Commanster website by Jim Lindsey. Images of the plants, leaves, flowers, and fruits are provided. Plants are organized according to scientific name, but common names are provided in English, French, Dutch, and German.
Wildflowers of the British Isles
Another excellent collection of images from the British Isles, this one compiled by Dr. P.J. Llewellyn, and a companion to his Wildflowers of Australia and Tasmania and Wildflowers of Europe websites. Access the A-Z Thumbnail Index for a shortcut to the species pages, which provide interesting descriptive information. Abbreviations at the top of each page note the species' relative abundance (very common to extremely rare) and whether it is introduced or native. These abbreviations are explained on the Symbols page.
Wisconsin Wetland Plants, Goldenrods, and Asters
Actually, three distinct websites by Gary Fewless, Cofrin Center for Biodiversity, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. These excellent websites, constructed in the same easy-to-use format of his other websites (see Wisconsin websites), include descriptions, digital camera and scanned images of the plants, and diagnostic features.